Im MOVING!!!!!

I hope you will all come with me!!! 

For the past several months, two of my BRF and myself have talked about doing a group blog and finally, we pulled the trigger (pardon the pun) on Pistol Packin Mother Runners!

Our hopes is that since we all seem to struggle with consistency in keeping our individual blogs alive, and since so many of our running escapades involve each other, we might as well have one blog and between the 3 of us, we can keep it going!

So while I have enjoyed my time here, please PLEASE come over and follow us next door!  I promise, you will hear all the same antics from children, just adding in their rascals with mine (4 more kiddos), their animal adventures in addition to mine (Heather had her coyote encounter last week), husband annoyances issues x3, and of course, our daily trials, successes, failures and pitfalls that come with being mother runners. 

Come over....FOLLOW our new page!  Hope to see you all there SOON!!!!!

Jingle All The Way

  

Yesterday was the Platte River Fitness Series Jingle Bell Run.  We ran this one together last year in less then stellar conditions but this year, it was PERFECT!  About 50 at start time, sunny, no wind and a great vibe at the starting line!!

This is my entry to worst race photo....kinda look like I might die, hahaha!!!

I met up with a couple friends up there and was able to chat a bit before the race started and I almost got run over by every high school cross country runner in Western Nebraska.  Guess that's what I get for lining up near the starting line, and having not 1 but 2 corners within the first .2 miles :)

Great race, great run....PR for me!!!!  25:21 is my garmin time but clock time wa 25:20.....don't really care (kinda do) because that's 23 seconds OFF my previous PR from Nebraskaland Days!!!  Maybe its the BE's but I felt like I could run that pace forever.....I kinda wanted to keep up with speedy Gonzales aka Rachel, but ya....her and her 7:23 pace....maybe next year, HAHAHAHA!

Great way to end the 2012 race season, and it sets one of my goals for 2013....I want a sub 25 5K next year......oh boy!!!

Went to Wally-world after the race to do some Christmas shopping.....hit the toy aisle, wanted to gouge my eyes out with a hot fork, promptly went to the alcohol aisle and pushed more alcohol then toys.  Yep....that's my kind of Christmas shopping :)

We put our tree up last night during what I supposed is being called the Husker football game.  I'm not gonna rip them to pieces, they looked flat, they got out played.  I believe they put a whooping on some teams this year who looked the same.....to bad it was the Championship game that it happened and against Wisconsin, who exploited every mistake and near mistake, using it to their advantage.  That's football.  GO BIG RED!!!!  Very happy Shawn was calm enough to NOT toss Brannon the tree through the window.

Officially the most powerful "person" in the house.

The best part is that Freddie, Santa's little helper, showed up last night in the tree.  Hopefully he can keep Thing 1 and Thing 2 in check this year....and Piper.....and Shawn.....and if he could keep an eye on my husbands naughty puppy, that would be great also. 

She has her head down cause she has done something....not sure what, but something......

Three Things Thursday

1.  Im never going on a long, family "vacation" again.  Oh the trip itself was great, but its the aftermath thats killing me.  Thing 1 regressed in his potty training to 4 accidents yesterday alone (I knew putting him back in diapers during the car trip would bite me in the ass), Thing 2 thinks he is ready to potty train (he was accident free for most of the day...but he was also big boy pant free since he refuses to leave it on, needless to say, Ill be shampooing my carpets this afternoon.)  The time change is kicking everyones butt, Thing 2 thinks sleeping in his own bed is optional but in mine is necessary (NOT a co-sleeping mom...I like my space!!)  Good thing my parents are moving closer.

2.  Hubby is MOTIVATED to work out, he had to find it for himself and he did...in the form of Beastmode and earning a killer bow.  Ill spare you the details unless you want them, but I'm very happy he FINALLY is making his health and fitness a priority.  Granted its not because I told him I want him around forever but because he found inspiration in making himself stronger for some serious back country bowhunting....but still, he is getting it done.  I don't have the health issues in my family he does, so I bug him about it....alot.  The problem is that he wants to run first thing in the morning, which leaves me running at lunch.  I don't mind...but I don't LIKE it.  I prefer to run and watch the sunrise.....I think this might last another few weeks......then we will need to discuss why HE cant run at lunch....but until then, Ill happily support him.  And yes, I go a little Beastmode myself....can never have TOO much motivation ;)

3.  I have ZERO Christmas decorations up.  Why....see #1.  This weekend is my plan and if everyone 3 and under is sedated cooperative we should be good to go.  If not, we might end up like the Griswolds.

Uhhhh.....Blah....Yay.....Grrrr

My hair didnt look nearly that good.

Thats how my day went yesterday....those 3 little words sum it all up...in that order.

I'm desperately trying to NOT get sick.  So far Ive got the wicked headache (which could be partly my childrens fault) and body aches (which could be pushing myself really hard when I was running the other day and then lifting way to much weight because I didn't know how to take weight off the thingy) but either way, I kinda feel like poo.

Got my 4 miles in...but it was one of those gonna go for 2, but I feel ok, Ill shoot for 3, but then I felt guilty not hitting my plan so I made it 4.  I did considering laying down in the road but figured I would get run over. 

When I feel like poo, I eat like shit.  I crave EVERYTHING and I have NOTHING so then I crave EVERYTHING and MORE!  I'm still on the Runners World Holiday streak.....I just think I'm going to modify my plan a bit and back off the running.....I had 5 miles planned today but I think I'm going to keep it simple and go for 2.

On a positive.....I WAS accepted into the Fit Approach Sweat Pink Ambassadors Group yesterday!!!  That definitely made me feel better!  I love the idea of being part of a group to help others get fit and healthy and get some run love.  Plus, much like Team Tough Chik, these ladies are all as obsessed dedicated as I am, if not more so, so I'm not the crazy one...I'm just ONE of the crazy ones :)

They have a forum, where you can go and get to know other SPA, but my favorite part is that people come up with different weekly/monthly challenges.  I'm all about the challenge, so I cannot wait to get started on the weekly challenge next Monday.  A few weeks ago it was to so a circuit 5/7 days that week, then 1000 push ups IN a week (push ups always find a way into the mix...grrrr) so I cant wait to see what next week bring. 

Just as my high from being accepted into the group was calming down I heard the tell-tale barking of some poor critter being corned by my husbands crazy dog puppy by the barn.  I put them on the porch, and heard the other tell-tale signs of hoofs pounding away as my no good rotten pain in the ass horses busted out of the 40 acres pasture they were in and took off across the yard and down the road.  Grrr......so not cooperative but we got them back....took a pick up truck and some very bad words and they didn't go where we wanted them to but anywhere other then the road was fine.  Ill help husband fix some fence this morning I guess....that counts for some physical fitness, right??

Off-season???

Is there really such a thing as "off season"?  I realize I have been running for 2 years, but I kinda thought since one could find a race anytime of the year, it was a year round season.  I'm finding out that there is a spring season and fall season, which suits me just fine really not into running in the summer...not.so.much. 

Anyway, for sake of discussion, what do you do in the off-season?  Do you stop all together?  Do you back off your training for relaxed, chilled out easy paced runs, just to keep yourself going (Sounds Heavenly right??) Do you keep at it hard and heavy, pushing yourself to injury point because you have plenty of time to recover (which you wont do) and want to know exactly what your limitations are? 

I'm definitely not Numero Uno....someone would get hurt if I stopped all together.  I had to take extended time off after Lincoln and I wanted to gouge myself in the eye with a hot fork.  I cannot take time off without losing my freakin' mind....major props to my friends who have been and are currently battling being sidelined.....Katie, Heather, Kari....I dont know how you do it and stay sane :)

Number 2.....partially.  When I have running buddies to run with.   Its hard to have a conversation with someone when your both blowing up your lungs and I definitely love a good, easy cruise with hubby or the girl-child.  Pushing the jogger typically because a chilled out run, albeit on that makes me want to die, but its definitely not about breaking time limits as much as getting to the end of the run without losing a child (they tend to bail out, remember?)

Number 3....that would be me.  I cannot just go out and run, alone, without trying to hurt myself.  And I don't mean "hurt" as in finding the nearest pot-hole and running right into it, tripping falling, breaking an ankle, wrist and probably getting a concussion, hurt myself, but the burn and ache of pushing my legs and lungs, as fast and as hard as I can.  Seeing exactly how fast I can run, how long it takes me to get to my in-laws house, how bad the weather can be, how much self-inflicted pain I can bring upon myself.  If I really can do 100 crunches a day (I can) and 75 push ups (cannot) for a week straight. 

Each time I hit a goal, I'm happy...then I find something else.  So far, I haven't found my limitations yet.  I have found pain...and progress.   I have learned that I am only as weak as I think I am....and I am much stronger then I give myself credit for.  The only way to silence the weak Tara is to prove her wrong.  I don't always want to run.  I don't really like crunches.  I really REALLY hate push ups....yet I do them all because that little voice in my head that says sit on the couch and do nothing annoys the shit out of the voice that says, get off your ass and do something so you can buy those really cute jeans in a size smaller then you have been wearing :)

So I guess that means I don't think there is ever an "off season".  For me, there is race season and training season.....races are a few months out of the year....training is 12 months out of the year. 

Am I obsessed?  Yep....sure am.

Do I need an intervention?  Probably.

Am I hurting myself?  Not yet, but some may think its coming soon.

Is it selfish?  Yes...but since its the only "me" time I get from Thing 1 and Thing 2.....I dare you to try and take it away from me :) 

Bitter Sweet

Our trip to Michigan is winding down, and Im happy to report that everyone is still alive and speaking to each other (Ill let you know how that turns out after the second 1,145 mile 17 hour car trip turns out....WITH the 10 year old female in the mix...that could all change.)

Thanksgiving was great, starting with a 3 mile run around the park in town, an extremely frustrating Lions game (dont get me started on that ruling......), great food, a wrestling match with my husband and a coconut cream pie (my mad ninja skills failed me and I lost). 

Isn't she pretty??

Black Friday shopping on Friday morning at the hunting store when Shawn got me (sorta) my Christmas present.  My NEW bow has been ordered and will be delivered to the house in a month or so....YIPPEE!!  The Huskers won (seriously...WHY do that have such an issue playing a full 4 quarters of football.....WHY....), the boys FINALLY slept all night in their bed and not half in it, on the floor, and with us......gonna take me 3 months to get them back into their sleeping routine).

The fact that my parents are moving next week finally registered during my run this morning (yes, I got 3 in this morning.....29 degrees, light snow fall, and a mile or of it was down a quiet, tree lined road...peaceful.)

It strange to say "good-bye" to the house you grew up in.  I dont miss living here....I didnt cry when we left in 2009 to move to Nebraska and I dont think Ill cry today, but it is still strange to know that I will never come back to visit this house again.  I wasnt a runner when I lived here, so I cant say Ill miss my old running routes, but I am a runner now, and have a long list of places I would love to get a training run in sometime.  But those times are gone.  I cant blame my parents....both Little Brother and I are out west, so that is where they are headed.  And Im happy for them, but a little sad at the same time.  When we moved to Nebraska, we always knew we could come back and visit whenever we wanted, but now, there isnt anything (family) to come back and visit, so it wont be happening.  And if we do come back and visit (friends!!) then we wont be coming back to THIS house. 

Its really nothing new for me, but its a final goodbye.  This time, its not see you later...its goodbye. 

Turkey Day

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!

Did you Turkey Trot today??  I was supposed to but the time change is kinda kickin' my rear and we I over slept.  The race was about 45 minutes away from my parents, and when I looked at the clock and it was already registration time, I knew it wasnt gonna happen.  So Shawn and I headed to the park and got our trot on..woot woot!

So this is the day that we are thankful for well, everything.  I really dont think you need me to tell you again what I am thankful for, so Im going to follow Jamie's lead and put out my superficials.  Like she said....the things Im thankful for, materialistic or not....these are the things I love.

1.  My iPod.  Trucking along on my runs is so much easier when I have the perfect (i.e. Miranda Lambert Fastest Girl in Town) blaring in my ears.  Run faster, finish sooner...that is all.

2.  Garmin....necessary...no, wait YES!  Yes yes yes....while I can possibly run without it, it helps keep me focused on my stride and pushing for my times.  Push hard, run fast, finish sooner (see the trend).

3.  Coffee...this was not on my list last year because I didnt drink coffee till just recently.  In that short amount of time, I have taken back all the bad stuff I have ever said about coffee because frankly, I love it. 

4.  My bow.  I recently moved into the world of bowhunting and while I havent killed anything yet I really REALLY love shooting.  Its given me an arm workout unlike anything else which is great because we all know how I feel about pushups.

5.  My gun(s).  Lets face it...I like to shoot shit.  My .380 is my favorite, but I throughly enjoy the rifles also. 

6.  Angel Food cake.  Plain and simple...dont screw fancy it up...white cake, white frosting....happy Tara.

7.  Charlie Brown and his holiday adventures.....HOURS if entertainment for Thing 1 and Thing 2 in the 17 hour car trip to see my 'rents.

8.  Cold Beer.  Not feeling the wine these days but Im loving a nice, cold beer at the end of the day. 

9.  The perfect t-shirt.  Really....is there anything better then a cotton t-shirt that is cute, and fits perfect!  You know what Im talking about....fitted but not super tight so the beer I had last night isnt showing through.  Yep...thats the one. 

10. With that goes perfect fit jeans.  Again..is there anything better.

11.  My critters.  My horses are my sanity, my dogs are my best running buddies (and babysitters for the 2 legged critters when they are outside.)

12.  My snowmobile.  Red Betty rocks...she is small but mighty. 

13. My friends....so thats more of a real thankful then a superficial but I love that they get my superficials, embrace them and take them/me for what it is.  They get me :)

14.  My absolute favorite is when I can put #13 together with any of the others listed above....those are the moments Im so thankful for....everyone needs crazy friends and family who feed your ridiculous hobbies and addictions and jump on the crazy train with you.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and family!!!  Let the shenanigans begin!

Time Travel

or maybe thats travel time.  Yep, I think that is more like it but since I seem to be spending more time in a car these days then outside of it.....I dont think you can blame me to much. 

Friday, I took PK to the airport so she could fly out Saturday morning and spend Turkey Week with her dad, stepmom and family in Michigan.  Drove home Saturday....about 3.5 hours each way.  No biggie, except for when I got home on Saturday I really wanted to go hunting had to clean the house, pack and get ready for the rest of us to leave Sunday morning to drive to Michigan and spend Turkey Week with my parents. 

See, my parents are moving on December 1 and this is the last holiday I would get to spend in Michigan.  I never really said "good-bye" to most of my friends when we moved because I always knew we would have an excuse (grandma/grandpa) to come back and visit.  Now that they are moving to be closer to us.....that excuse is relocating gone.

It was a long first day of driving and frankly, people in Iowa drive like shit.  Not necessarily Iowians, but just people in Iowa regardless of permanent residency, drive like shit.  Maybe something in the air...who knows, but till...they drive like crap and thats to that, we can now add "road rage" to the category of bad words....barn/cattle/pasture/driving words.  Mostly 4 letter and bad. 

Being in Michigan is nice, relaxing with my parents and hanging out with friends we havent seen in years.  Shawn and I ran yesterday morning at the park in the town where I grew up and this morning, I got 5 in running out around my parents house.  We are also getting alot of shooting time in with our bows since I we set a goal of shooting 60 arrows a day, rain or shine.  Feels good....even after Shawn increased the draw weight on my bow.  Goal is to get to 60lbs....Im hanging out at 50lbs right now and getting that ache in my arm that I love!

Eating good food today, possibly some early shopping.....really just relaxing.  Enjoying the last few days in Michigan....because Im not sure when I will get back here again. 

3 Things Thursday

3 random things about me.....I can handle that:

1.  I just signed up for (Just) Trying is the Little Girls 2012 Holiday Card Exchange.  Last year, I was paired with 5 awesome bloggers, who I have enjoyed following and getting to know this past year, so I knew right away I was going to do it again this year.  If your interested in signing up also, go here.  And if you are not a follower of her adventures running all over the country (seriously, JEALOUS of her running and traveling, she rocks!) then you need to be!

2.  The Runners World Holiday Running Steak is starting next week....Thanksgiving Day to New Years to be exact.  Last year I read about several over-achievers people who were doing this, and thought they needed to sit back and enjoy the excuse to do nothing it seemed like an ok idea.  This year, I KNOW I need to give it a go to keep myself active until my training plan starts in January or else Im gonna suffer and hurt worse then I usually do when I fall off the running wagon start a training plan.  This is perfect! 

3.  Swag.  Apparently, this word bothers my weirdo dear husband for some reason, which I didnt know till I was reading a  blog about swag and bling....and he.went.off.  He doest get why its call swag, why not just cool free shit...which I dont know the if there even is answer to that but apparently SWAG bothers him.  I may or may not have accidentally said that word about a million times between last night at 730pm and today.  He thinks Im trying to make him crazy, Im going for desensitization to the word so I dont get "the look" everytime I go to a race and collect "the swag" thats given to me in a "swag bag" because the best part half of a race is about the "swag" in your
free "swag bag".

Wordless Wednesday

The view from my kitchen window.

Goals

I'm a very goal driven person....it keeps me motivated and pushing myself for more.  I need goals, realistic and non, short term and long term, completely related to what I'm doing or not...doesn't matter, I need a goal.

Sometimes my goal is to just finish the damn race!

I wasn't always this way....I was most definitely a "wing it, fly by the seat of your pants, whatever happens happens" girl for awhile.  Then I started running and found myself looking head at C25K and shooting for my next goal.....Week 1, 1 minute of running....Week 2, 90 second of running.....so on.....I found myself being crazy proud of myself when I achieved those goals....and that started it. 

So I keep finding more and more to push myself with....maybe a PR at an upcoming race, or making it to a certain number of races, getting a horse ready to run at events in our county fair, potty training my 2 year old by Christmas (that's wishful thinking, but still...it can be a goal). 

Its not even that pretty, but I want one so bad
I can taste it!!!

I bribe myself with stuff sometimes (I want to be in the Half Fanatics because I want that damn jersey) but not always.  More often, the pride and confidence that comes with setting a goal and achieving it is what drives me more then a pair of shoes.  Not always....but mostly. 

I don't always hit my goals.....and I'm ok with that.  Not thrilled, but I know I tried...sometimes shit happens life gets in the way and adjustments have to be made.  I wanted to run 1000 miles in 2012.....with 580 in right now, I'm not gonna hit 1000.  But I didn't plan on taking as much time off after Lincoln as I did, or my piriformis issue forcing me to take extra time off and cancel some runs/races.  No worries.....I can only work with what I have and do my best. 

And really, isn't that all anyone can ask of themselves at anytime, in any situation?

What are you running goals?  Are you goal driven or allergic to them? 

If you cant get bag a monster

then bag a freak :)

Deer season 2012 is underway and I'm happy to report that I am now 2/3 for buck slaying on opening day. 

But don't let that fool you....kinda had to work for this beast....kinda....

P.S. If you don't like hunting stories, or deer hunting, guns, bad words or anything else that might could around during hunting season, please stop reading now.  If you keep going, and then send me nasty notes about how could I shoot a helpless unarmed animal, my response will not be nice because you have been warned.


We took off early in the morning, thanks to Grandma U and Grand Dad Bud for watching the runts children over night.  We went out Friday night for our anniversary and headed to Cabela's for some last minute (as in season starts in less then 12 hours better get more bullets, range finder and a sling for my gun) supplies.

Opening day started off windy.  We had a deer picked out that Shawn had less then awesome luck getting during bow season   we had seen several times but not been able to nail down his routine in the morning.  Afternoons, yep...got that down, but not the mornings, so it was a crap-shoot (aka hunting) as to if we would see him in the AM.

Negatory....and the wind and impending winter storm wasn't helping....critters weren't movin' that much.  It was foggy, windy and cold.  Typical hunting in November.  We found some does, and usually, where they are does there are bucks.  Which yes, there were some bucks, but no shooters.

Just so everyone knows, "shooters" are not just big ass bucks that will score huge for B&C and give us bragging rights.  "Shooters" are older, possibly crippled and freaks (that is important in this story) and yes, big ones.  In short, they could be big, well within' shooting range but young, so we let them go...go and grow, so that they can make it into the other category of BIG AND OLD :) 

We choose to keep on looking walking 6 hours, 2 full pastures, approx 5 miles.....up and down the sandhills...nothing.  Well, not nothing....we made it into a hill that Shawn said "always has lots of deer" and we found some.....but they found us first and before I could get a shot off.....damn wind and crazed whitetails!

Took a break for lunch, watched the first half of the Huskers game, got pissed and went out to see if the bigin' had come out from hiding per his usual after plan. 

And the storm arrived.  It was 28 degrees, 20mph winds (you do the math)....freezing rain/snow/what-ever-the-hell-it-was-it-hurt-when-it-hit-my-face crap had arrived.  We got to our spot only to find that the calves had jumped the fence and 20 of them were standing right where the bigin' would be coming.  Which meant he wouldn't be coming.  Which meant I had a very unhappy hunting partner because the stupid calves had just screwed everything up. 

The calves, not mother nature.

We started walking out to try and get around them.....which would have worked had they scattered like they should have.....moving away from us and towards the gate we needed to get them in....but they didn't.  Oh no...they choose to follow us around like little lost puppies calves.  We knew there were some does on the south side, so started walking that way, thinking we could shake the calvies and for a bit and I thought we did. 

Then Shawn grabbed my arm and said, get down, get ready, there he is!!

WTF, I couldn't see anything but 5 does and 2 fawns but apparently there was a buck bedded down on the other side of the hill we were standing on.  Shawn was high enough up to see the tips of his antlers, I could not (because I was told to get down and get ready to shoot before I could see anything him.) 

Enter the calves....and exit the deer.  They took one look at the calves and took off.  Hunt over.

A furious Shawn stalks after the calves to lock them into the pasture they were supposed to be in to begin with, and I follow.  With the wind and crap coming from the sky and the fact that we just chased off what turned out to be 9 head of deer, we were now longer being quite or subtle.  We were stalking (on of us was using bad words) chasing the stupid calves (not word for word how someone referred to them) back into the stack yard when suddenly,

GET DOWN, GET READY

For what?

This big deer, get ready, he is running right at us!

And he was....from across the meadow (where the calves were supposed to be) he jumped the fence into the stack yard (where the calves were going to be), kept right on cruising over the other fence, into the pivot with us...on this windy, foggy, snowy, nasty night.  Us and 20 calves who had his attention completely drawn to them (the one helpful thing they did all day), so he had no idea we were down (well, I was, Shawn was still standing) ready to shoot.  But he also wasn't stopping.  He must have winded the does that we chased off about a minute before and he was chasing.

If you get him in your sites, take the shot.

I had to reposition my gun several times because he never stopped....he would slow down, but never stop or even break to a walk....so I kept trying to get a lead out on him and finally the third time he came right into my cross hairs at 125 yards. 

Deer Down.

I didn't remember a damn thing.  It all happened so fast...from chasing off the first group of does to harvesting this guy was maybe 2 minutes.  3 at the most.  After 6 hours of wandering and walking, we saw more deer in 3 minutes and got one down.  When it happens like that, it happens fast.

I didn't even really get a good look at him to we got up there since it was now a full on winter storm.  Shawn knew the deer as soon as he got a good look at him as he saw him a few days earlier, and knew we needed to get him out.  He is more of a freak that anything else.  I'm sure that's not the kindest way to put it but he is....he is a 3x7 and has a shovel antler coming out of the front of his head.  Really strange, but not totally unheard of as just a few weeks ago we watched someone on a hunting show chase their "caribou buck" (caribou have those shovels).

I was happy to see how old he really is....his rack is starting to shrink, he was big BIG bodied(probably 250lbs is what we grunted guessed as we were lifting his heavy ass into the big ol' pick up).  He had some battle scars from fighting....he was a good deer, but a good herd management deer.  Definitely not the biggest out there, but a shooter and a rack with character to hang on the wall with the others.

Ok, back to the hunt (nope, not over yet!) we put the calves back (must more cooperative to go away from us after hearing a gunshot) and started out trek back to the house...which took forever as it was straight into the snow sleet crap! 

I asked him if he wanted to cut through the calving lot or head to the end of the meadow and cross the road there ...... 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of the other...just wanted to know which direction to head.....

Calving lot was the call and what a good call it was....as we stepped out of the lot, I looked up (I had kept my head down for most of the walk because it the sleet hurt!) and voila.....4x5 buck standing right at the corner of our yard, looking right at us.

I hit Shawn in the arm, pointed, he put down his pack, raised his gun and BOOM....

Deer Down.

So we hunted excellent deer areas for 6 hours in decent weather (cold but not winter storm crap) and saw nothing.  Spent 30 minutes outside, in shit, saw lots of deer, shot one, walked back to the house, and shot another one. 

Got the pick up, got the deer before the coyotes did (ya...about them....6 was the total for the day....time to start shooting some coyotes), got everything home and Shawn and Piper cleaned them all up.

We will have jerky and venison for awhile, lol!  And we will probably go and each fill our doe tags because the whitetails need to be thinned out a bit.  Herd management. 

Time to start looking up wild game recipes....looks like Ill be cooking that for awhile!

Stare Down

Those of you who have been readers for awhile know that I have issues in animal.  All kinds, during my runs.  With legs, without, with fur,without.  Majority of the time, they just hang out and watch me go by from a distance.  Other times they run with me (my friend Wylie Coyote who ran several miles with me last year, pacing me for 1/2 mile every morning. 

Yesterday morning,  I ran up on a group of Mule Deer does and fawns, trucking (slowly) down the road.  They finally jumped the fence and went into the hills when I was about 25 yards away from them.  I see them all the time (one even has a name, Tippy because of her funky tipped ears).  They dont bother me.

THIS morning, I saw the same group of does.....but this time, they were accompanied by 2 bucks.  Neither are very big (their futures should be secured, even though hunting season does open tomorrow at sunrise) but still...there is something imposing and impressive about being 25 yards away from a buck. 

This buck looks NOTHING like the one I came across....but its hard to find a photo of a less then stellar buck on the computer.  But this gives you city slickers an idea of the size (body mass) of the deer I had a staring contest with.....he won. 

Then I remember one very important thing.....the Rut.  For those of you non-hunters (or not living with a hunter) the rut is breeding season.  Bucks are chasing does to, well....you know.  They tend to be more aggressive...brave....stupid (all the things that happens to all males of any species when breeding).  We were out sitting in the pivot scouting and watching 2 bucks sparring over a group of does just last week (also had a coyote come right up on us, come to a skidding stop 4 feet away because he didnt see us sitting there...hows that for keeping quite :)

Well, the does went across the road, the one buck (who has a the weirdest rack I have even see...whitetail on one side, forked like a muley on the other....strange) came out and walked on just fine....the other one stepped out from behind the hill, walked s-l-o-w-l-y and stopped in the middle of the road.  Just staring at me.  At 25 yards.  And we just stared at each other.  He would look around at his does, and then look back at me...but he never really made a move to chase them, which of course,  I was sure it was because he was going to charge after me (because Im such a threat).  I was staring back, but my mid was weighing the options of how fast I could get to the bales/over the fence if I needed to make a quick getaway (because Im so sure of my lightening fast running skills that I could outrun an aggressive buck....yep...thats me, the rational thinker).

Our stare down only lasted about 30 seconds (which felt like 30 minutes to me) before he s-l-o-w-l-y walked off to his does, now waiting for him on the side of a hill in the pasture.  He jumped the fence, and then stopped to stare at me again.  So I took the opportunity to engage my mongoose like running skills and haul my ass out of there faster then a muley could catch me (at least, thats what I told myself) and continued on my run cautiously and finished off my 3 miles.  Did I mention this little adventure took place at .74 of my 3 mile run.....meaning I had to run back past that point again.....but thankfully, his does took off and like a good little male...he followed the females (and left me alone).

Love the critters who surround me.  I really do (minus the snakes/skunks/badgers and porcupines)....I couldnt imagine not falling asleep with the coyotes singing or the cows mooing.  But occasionally, I would like them to stay on their side of the fence....I wont run there, they can stay out of my way the road . 

If not, come tomorrow and for the next 8 days, I will be locked and loaded with a 22-250 and the staring contest might not end so well for him.

Im a Tough Chik, nice to meet you :)

Really, I'm a loser.  I am a blogging loser. 

I have no excuse except I just...wait, I have no excuse.

BUT I'M BACK NOW!!!  And why....Ill tell you (cause I'm sure your dying to know) but I am now a member of the 2013 TOUGH CHIK TEAM.



Wanna know Team Tough Chik is all about....you can find it all here....and shop the very cool, designed for women athletes by women athletes clothing here.

How did I end up on the team....I applied.  No, my running has not gotten that fantastic since I last blogged that I am not in demand on peoples teams...not.so.much (although, it has gotten better, thanks to the Mezamashii Run Project...LOVIN' BE!)

Every year Tough Chik opens up their team registration for members...I'm not sure exactly how long its open...a month or so I think, and you simply fill out the form and thereyougo.....TOUGH CHIK.

Why?  Why would I join this team....well, why not?  Why not join in with a group of people (women) who love to do what I love?  Why not have a place where I can go and vent to people (women) who get where I'm coming from and where IMO trying to go?  Lets face it.....unless your a serious runner, you could care less about piriformis issues, PR's, GU, Garmin's, compression, how a tenth of a second can rule your life for months, elevation charts or anything else that runners find to obsess worry about. 

Not a runner...don't care about running problems. 

Here, I can brag celebrate my success without angering or annoying someone else because that whole group is working towards their own personal goals.  I can mourn my disastrous races and runs because again, the whole group knows what its like. 

In short, I can stop bothering all the people in my life who don't give a rats behind about my running.

Not that everyone in my life is like that....I do have great amazing friends and family who care, who ask and are the most supportive people in the crazy train that is my life.  Some of them have even jumped on the train and are running with me....which.I.love!! 

Tough Chik is about supporting women athletes and helping accomplish their goals.....I'm so excited to be a part of this team!!!

My Grandma and Orlando Bloom?????

Guess what?  I have a secret (well not really, since I cant keep a secret but its not common knowledge) but I 1/4 Syrian.

Yep.....I have Middle Eastern blood pumping through the veins in my blonde hair and blue eyed body.  Better yet, my Grandmother was born in the embattled Aleppo. 

My mom and Grandma

She moved here with her family when she was 7 to escape religious persecution (imagine that).  Even though they lived in a Christan stronghold, they were still the minority and in danger because of their religious beliefs.  The events of the past several years months have weighed on me, just as they have every American, but often I think of Aleppo.  If I have family still there...are they safe?  Are they alive?  Which brings me to my point.......

Holy Wars do not end.  When you put people and their religion to the test, when someone's personal commitment to their God/Savior/Creator is questioned or put to the test, a primal fury will come out and sadly, people will die.  My grandmother is proof of that.....she was 7 in 1921 when they left Aleppo because of the same reasons people are dying in Aleppo right now.  The Sunni Muslims want to stop Assad, who follows a Shi'ite religion.  The Muslims are lined with Turkey, Assad is line with Iran.....no on wins.  People die. 

Same thing happened in Ireland (where my blonde hair and blue eyes come from).....can you say Protestants vs Catholics?  The IRA is still active....don't fool yourself into thinking only Muslims can be radicals.......there wouldn't be travel advisories to Northern Ireland if it was only Muslims.

Sidebar:  My brother always told people to watch my temper because I'm Irish and Syrian.....terrorism is in my blood.  That was alot funnier on 9-10-2001 then after that. 

Its very sad, but (and this sounds bad) not my problem.  Its not...really.  Its not solvable.  Its not reconcilable.  There is no good answer....people have been living and dying by Holy Wars alot longer then I have been around, alot longer then U.S. has been able to step in aka drop bombs and make things worse better and they will continue to go as long as religion is around.  And lets face it, nothing has been around longer then religion so the cycle will continue. 

Some people may think I'm not very religious and maybe I'm not.  But I am very spiritual.  I just don't think I need to go into a building to have a good Christian heart.  My personal beliefs were shaped several years ago when I was told by a Confirmation leader that my job as a servant of God was not to question but obey.  Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to do my own thing, my own way and while I'm always up for doing stuff with other people, I don't follow the crowd if I don't want to.  Hence, "obey" isn't really up my alley, regardless of WHO I'm supposed to Obey.  I don't see the hurt in questioning....in finding out the WHY behind the DO.  It was that point that I shut down "religion" and going to Church and I did for a very, VERY long time.  I made my way back, under my terms, but along the way I found that I do not have to go to a building to have a relationship with God.  Some people feel that you do....that going to church on Sunday's gives them that connection once a week to sit and be with God in His House.  I think that is wonderful.  That is where they are comfortable and where they want to be.  I'm happy for them and that connection.  Mine tends to be located in the middle of the oil strip as the sun is cresting the hills, at 44 degrees while I'm getting my sweat on.  Seriously, I have had some of the best conversations with my Lord and Savior while running....and I don't mean praying for the finish line either ;)

Have you seen the movie Kingdom of Heaven?  Its got hottie Orlando Bloom in it??  You must have...who wouldn't want to watch Orlando......Anyway, watch the movie for the whole story but what I love about it is that theme of the movie is that the Kingdom of Heaven, long thought of as Jerusalem, is not really a place, so to speak.  Its a Kingdom of Consciousness.  Of Awareness and Acceptance.  That is where the true heart of God and Allah can be found, in a Kingdom of Consciousness. 

A new world. A better world. A Kingdom of  Conscience...a Kingdom of Heaven.

Godfrey of Ibelin

I pray for peace of heart and mind, for those of who are accepting of that.  Some people are not....radicals on all angles of the religious spectrum wont see peace as I see it.  They dont see acceptance as I see it.  Those are the people that will keep the Holy Wars rolling and while there isnt much I can do to stop them short of traveling over, slapping the shit out of them and running for cover, still, I pray for them.

In Memory

Never forget.

Jogger Stroller Hell

Thing 1 telling Thing 2 to "talk to the hand"

Thing 2 is my little bruiser.

Occasionally they do sit still long enough for a photo together.

Who know that 2 sweet faced little boys and 3 wheels could make a 3 4 mile run sooooo soooo SOOOOOO difficult!!!

I had all the plans in the world for a 6 mile run this morning...then the alarm went off and I was freezing so I couldn't didn't drag myself out of bed.  Seriously, was NOT prepared for 36 degrees this morning!!!!!

The boys had been asking for a few days weeks for me to take them on a "un, go un MOMMA!!!" so I figured today would be the day.  Temps were expected to be fairly cool in the morning, so I figured a nice, easy paced 3 miles would be a perfect for the kids and still get me running.

Let me just say here, that while I'm a BAMR there was no way in God's green earth (or the brown color that has taken over the Sandhills since we have had 1 inche of rain since May) that I was pushing 55lbs of child + 23 lbs of stroller up hills for 6 miles.  Into the wind.   Not. Gonna. Happen.

Started getting Thing 1 and Thing 2 loaded up, which of course involved dressing them, rounding up sippy cups, a couple matchbox cars (each), apparently we had to have a Batman figure, then a blanket, forgot my watch, and my iPod, grabbed those and figured this was not starting out as well as I had hoped, so a water bottle was in order. 

Got them loaded and the tire is flat.  Thankfully hubby was still there so he helped me by taken the so I pushed the gimpy stroller down through the sand to the shop to pump up the tire.  He was cursing the tire the whole time, which was amusing to me since he was NOT the one trying to balance it just right as the puppy tried to grab at the now off the wheel tire and the kittens chased after the puppy.  I was cursing the stroller also.

Get down to the shop and Thing 1 takes off in one direction while Thing 2 takes off in another.  This is NOT an area the boys go to.  This is where hubbys does all the work on the ranch machinery.....AKA NOT CHILD PROOFED. 

So I'm chasing them, Hubs flips the stroller over and starts working on the tire.  Of course he removed all the above mentioned items before he flipped it over, right??? 

Wrong.  Shit everywhere.

Finally, we take off.....and my freaking arms are screaming at me to make the madness stop.  But oh no....no F'N way am I not running now.  Not only that, I am running and pushing them for at least miles because I refuse to spend more time getting ready to run, then actually running.

Made it the first .5 before the first matchbox car came flying out.  Then another .3 before the second.  I let them know that if one more came out I was taking them all away. 

Apparently I should have clarified that including ANYTHING.....as the sippy cup came out at 1.3.

Followed by another matchbox car that hit the ground with wheels down and kept on rolling.  Yes, I chased a matchbox car down the road. 

So I confiscated the remaining matchbox cars and as I was putting them in the basket, Batman landed on my head. 

Since I was already stopped in the middle of the road I figured this would be as good as ever to inform Thing 1 and Thing 2 that under no circumstances, should anything else that they ever want to see again EVER, come out of that stroller.  They were already not getting their cars back until they graduated from high school and unless they wanted to lose anything else, they better sit still, be quite and enjoy their happy little ride.  And be quite.

This seemed to help....there was some squirming and messing with the sunshields but for the most part, we were good.

Thing 2 looked at me with big blue eyes and said "lay down" so of course like any sane mom who wants her child to fall asleep good mom, I stopped and tried to figure out how to lower the seat.  Which I apparently do not know how to do and was so busy messing with I didn't see Thing 2 had gotten out of the stroller (minus shoes) and was coming over to help.  Got him back in, took his shoes (debris....I was thinking ahead) and took back off....with the seats up (stupid thing). 

Thing 1 wanted his shoes off cause Thing 2 didn't have his on, but in all my infinite wisdom, did not see this coming....until the blue Toys Croc went into the ditch.

I calmly and rationally explained to my angelic cherub faced children that I was going to go home and call Santa and cancel Christmas.  Thats rational, right??

Made it another .5 before the screaming started and as I pulled back the sunshields, I witnessed Thing 1 attempted to push Thing 2 out of the stroller.  Honestly, I told them to knock it off and kept moving.  Probably not MOTY qualification but hey..Thing 2 has 11lbs on Thing 1....he wasn't going anywhere. 

We got to the driveway and as tempting as it was to stop, again, I wasn't going to spend less time running then I did getting ready so we went right past the house for another .5 out and back....which brought on a whole new round of noise making when "mom mom momomomomomom MOM you missed the house" started. 

I did again what would get me MOTY.....turned up my tunes.

We made it home.....4 miles.  No idea how long.  Don't really care.  Both sippy cups, 2 small children (yes, the ones I started the run with) 2 pair of crocs, 4 hotwheels and 1 DS. 

Batman is MIA. 

Mizuno Rocks

No, I'm not just saying that because that is my shoe of choice, or because they picked me (along with several thousand other people) to test their shoes for them but because of this:


Consumer Research has sent you a message on BE Wear Test

Subject: Upcoming races

------------
Hi Tara,

We completely understand that upcoming races are super important.  Wear BE as you feel comfortable doing so; we do not want you to jeopardize anything either.  If you can ease into it a little bit at a time, go for it; if you'd like to hold off, then we understand that too.  This wear-test is a long process so take your time.

Sincerely,

The BE Team


Mizuno has a Be Wear Testers online forum so the product testers can get together and talk, ask questions, ect without testers.  One of the forums was started to see what other races people were running.  My post was my concerns about how BE is using muscles differently then I'm used to and I was concerned about how it would affect my legs being so close to Denver and then having Monument right after that. 

Im LOVING that 1) Mizuno started the board for us to all chat and compare notes at and 2) that someone from consumer research is reading the boards and 3) that someone from consumer research is understanding and realizes and sending out notes like that so that I know I dont have to push myself and jeopardize my running for their test shoes.  Im testing these things for them, but they get that running and racing is important to me, and getting hurt will put a serious damper on all of it. 

The email tells me that they get it.  They really are a company that values the opinion of their runners and understand that sometimes the "chill out relaxing" shoe might get put on the back burner for the race shoes.  Im still going to wear them, just not as much as I probably  would if I didnt have races on the schedule. 

BTW....so far, Im loving them.  Slight aching in my calves the on Saturday night after wearing them for a few hours but Sunday, I felt ok.  Ran 7 with Shawn then wore them all afternoon and no problems whatsoever.  Lovin' BE so far!

SUUUURPRISE!!!!!!!!

So, ya, I have been a terrible blogger.  I have no excuses, but Ill blame it on my kids, my running, my husband, my kids again and any and all critters with 4 legs. 

However yesterday after coming home from the first home football game of the year (Congrats WOLVES!!!) while I was trying to unload the highly uncooperative almost 2 year old (20 days) Thing 2 from the car Shawn called out "HEY...your new shoes are here!"

"What new shoes?  I didn't order new shoes." Yet.

"What else could be coming from Mizuno USA"

 Mezamashii Run Project

I had applied a few months ago, then a few weeks ago I got an email from them requesting more information.  So like a good little "really wanna be a product tester for the coolest shoes in the world" I filled it out and sent it back and heard nothing.  I read that other people were getting phone calls and correspondence so I figured I missed the pack or didn't fit the qualifications for whatever shoes they were testing. 

Then happiness in a little brown box appeared.

INSIDE the little brown box was not what I expected.  I was thinking hot pink Wave Precision 13'a or Blue and Lime Green Wave Rider 15's but what I got was BE. 

BE is a prototype shoe that Mizuno has created to help strengthen your feet when NOT running.  Its NOT a running shoe.  Which is good because its thin and little and very minimalist looking which I'm fairly certain is a box I did NOT check on the application.  No offense to barefooters all around, its just not for me.

Anyhoo....in the box were a super CUTE pair of deep purple, light weight, little shoes.  The sole is what really caught my attention and made me think minimalist style as its designed to NOT support your toes so much.  There is support going down middle of your foot and to the ball of your foot, but then the toes kinda hang out literally, well not literally out of the shoe but literally extend over the end of the support base for the sole.  Clear as much, ya.....check this out:

BE was inspired from the Waraji Sandal that have been worn for centuries by Japanese Samurai warriors and rice farmers to activate their toes.  The sandals are designed to be shorter then the feet so that the toes hang off the front and can more independently.

How it works:  The toes move naturally up and down, allowing them to curl and grip independently, which helps work the muscles and tendons of the foot.

The Goal:  To strengthen the muscles of the foot, providing wearers with more propulsion (toe off) which can help improve running form. 

Along with the shoe came a journal for me me to fill out and document what I think about the shoe, and in 16 weeks, send back to Mizuno.  ALSO there is a BE testers only forum for me to get on and talk about the shoes with other Be Wear Testers. 

I'm pumped to try them out....tonight at the bar, tomorrow at Cabela's...pretty much just became my "go-to" not running or riding or working at the pool shoe.  Stay tuned and you will learn more about BE then you every thought possible, especially since if your like me, you didn't even know BE existed until just a few minutes ago.

Thank you Budweiser

This blog post isnt about me or my running today, other then for me to say Im seriously LOVING Train Like a Mother 1/2 Marathon Finish It Plan but strides kinda suck. 

Anyway, todays post is because a miracle happened on July 4th (of this year, not 1979, when I, myself, arrived...a miracle to my parents and future husband, of course) I mean the miracle that only happens when husbands spend a little to much QT with their long lost buddy Mr. Budweiser, jump into conversations their wives are having and end up committing to ridiculous things thinking they are committing to less ridiculous things.

Please let me explain.

July 4th....simple conversation starts with a friend named "A" who is running the Monument 1/2 Marathon with me in October asked if I would think about running the full with her next year.  I said SURE (not sure if that was SURE, Ill think about or SURE, Ill do it....I have well over a year to figure that one out) and then said if you can convince "J" to run the 1/2 this year.  "J" says something along the lines of I should, I want to, I need to....took her awhile but we did get a YES out of her and "H" who was a YES all along but had some husband/ranch duties/travel/shopping plans for that weekend already that she needed to work out. 

Somewhere along the lines "J's" husbands ear perk up and he (and his Budweiser) come over and say "what are you doing? I can do that to, sign me up also"  and he walks away.  This is where things get interesting because MY husband (and his Budweiser) who was sitting right next to us the whole conversation also jumps in and says "what did he just say, he can do it, I can do it also, sign me up too!"

Ummm, ok....whatever you say Budweiser boys.  It wasnt till after the party, on our way home I looked at him and said "do you really think your ready for a 1/2 marathon?"

I wish I had a camera for the look he gave me....."what 1/2?"
"the one you said you could run because "S" said he could run it."
"that was a 1/2?"
"yep"
"I thought you were talking about a 5K."

Oh Mr. Budweiser.....for years and years you have been helping smart people make stupid decisions and thanks to "S" and  "S", your streak continues :)

Now that we have covered that.....I will say that my "S", who has been doing a walk/run interval for 2.5 miles or so for about 1 month went out on Thursday and proceeded to run 3 miles straight (a first for him) and and AND he did it in 27:30.  THAT is a 9:08 pace.  Then he did it again 2 days later. 

I was feeling sorry for him and told him that if he didnt get some solid runs in the next few weeks (before his 12 week training plan started) I would chalk it up to Budweiser taking over the common sense portion of his brain and let him off the hook.

Then he ran back to back 3 mile runs at a 9:08 pace.....his ass is toeing the starting in Scottsbluff because for 2 years he has been LYING to me about how he CANT run.  He CANT run and he really CANT run outside.

Bullshit.  LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE.  He is going to the race and he is running and he probably will NOT beat me to the finish line but thats ok because I know the secret to getting him to do these things with me now....Mr. Budweiser. 

I wont complain to much....committing to running is better then ending up like these pool fools??

Colorado Mountain Wedding!!

Last week was my little younger brothers wedding in BEAUTIFUL Estes Park Colorado.  Beautiful and buring, Colorado.  Driving down to Thornton on Tuesday we caught the smoke from the Flagstaff Fire that started in Boulder that afternoon courtesy of a lightening strike.

Smoke from Flagstaff Fire Tuesday, June 26, view from I80.

So sad, its SOOOOO DRY!!!  Oh my, I thought we were dry (which we are) but WOW....sadly...thats all I have.....WOW.....

After spending the night at my bro's house with LOTS of people, picking Stinkerbell (who turned 10 the next day) up at the airport, and attempting to get some sleep on the air mattress in the dungeon (nothing but love T-roy but its kinda a dungeon down there), we headed to Estes Park on Wednesday morning for wedding festivities!

Well, I did get up and run 2.2 miles around his neighborhood Wednesday before we left.....sooo different from running here and I dont just mean the 2500 ft in elevation change....flat, even ground is kinda a treat for me...as is sidewalks so I dont have to dodge vehicles :)

The rehersal dinner picnic was at Lake Estes Marina.....beautiful!!! 

View from Lake Estes Marina (also my running route :)

Bran....during a rare, SSS moment (sitting still & smiling)

My babies Sage, Piper, Brannon

Birthday girl and Mom!


The wedding itself was BEAUTIFUL!!  Very simple and elegant.  The resort was soooo pretty, and the ceremony site was exactly what I would have done, if I wanted an outdoor wedding in the mountains. 

Chateau at Della Terra

Rehersal

Kelly and Troy practicing vows

Piper and Momma

Justin and I went to H.S. together.  He always did like to tell me what to do.....I listend that well back then also :)

P.S. Stone steps + my shoes = brusied up leg...yes, I fell, gracefully I might as AND I didnt drop the brides bouquet I was carrying.  Yes, the wedding planner did catch me.  It was all good.


The ceremony did get rained out....but really, no one complained cause the rain was sooo desperately needed.  Well, the bride was bummed, but why wouldnt she be....who wants to make that decision as you are supposed to be walking down the aisle......

Mr. and Mrs. deBeauclair

Siblings and spouses

My "little" brother

Again...sooo pretty there!!!

We danced and had fun with people we havent seen in years and it was a blast.  Shawn even smiled WILLINGLY for a photo op course that could be 4 beers at 7500 ft....

My hubby SMILED!!!

Two of my favorite ladies!!

Single guys all look thrilled to catch the garter, dont they??






It was a beautiful, wonderful day with lots of "family"...both old and new, near and far.  I cant wait to see the photos the photographers took (especially the one where I am avoiding elk scat by mear inches).  It was a day I was very proud to be a part of and so happy for Troy and Kelly that it went out without much of a hitch.

Congratulations Troy and Kelly deBeauclair!!!!